Continued Russian Air Incursions are Becoming Increasingly Threatening
By Kyle Herda
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe
LISBON, Portugal – Russian jets, bombers, and fueling planes continue to violate the airspaces of many NATO countries, and the severity of the violations is increasing in number and intensity.
On October 21, 2014, a Russian Ilyushin-20, a spy plane, flew for about a minute in Estonian airspace before fighters from Denmark, Portugal, and Sweden intercepted. On October 28, 2014, seven Russian combat aircraft flew over the Baltic Sea and were initially intercepted by German fighters near Finland. Instead of turning back, the Russian aircraft pushed further, and were additionally intercepted by Danish, Swedish, and Finnish aircraft.
On October 29, 19 Russian aircraft in 3 separate formations were intercepted over the Baltic Sea, Black Sea, and North Sea leading a chase into the Atlantic Ocean. Portuguese fighter jets intercepted seven Russian jets over the Baltic Sea, and at the same time Turkish fighters intercepted two Russian bombers and two Russian fighter jets over the Black Sea. Later that day, eight Russian aircraft were initially intercepted by English RAF over the North Sea, at which point some of the Russian aircraft returned to Russia but two bombers pushed towards the Atlantic. The final two bombers were once again intercepted over the Atlantic by Portuguese aircraft.
Reports also came out recently about a simulated Russian attack in June 2014 of the Danish island Bornholm. This simulated attack occurred while 90,000 people were attending a political festival, and the Russian aircraft were equipped with live missiles. On March 29, 2013, a similar run was performed with two Tu-22M3 Backfire Russian heavy bombers and four SU-27 Flanker fighter jets around Sweden.
U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, the supreme allied commander in Europe, has called the more recent Russian incursions “a larger, more complex formation of aircraft carrying out a little deeper, … more provocative flight path.” Breedlove believes that these incursions have been a message from Russia to NATO that Russia is “a great power”.
As long as these incursions continue, and especially the more intense flight patterns and flight paths, relations with NATO and countries around the world will remain low with Russia and becoming increasingly pressed.
For more information, please see:
Business Insider – Here Are The ‘Complex’ Russian Air Incursions That NATO Is So Concerned About – 3 November 2014
Reuters – NATO commander: Russia’s incursions in European airspace ‘more provocative’ – 3 November 2014
The Examiner – World War 3 trial run: Russia simulates attack on Denmark, stimulates war fears – 2 November 2014
The Inquisitr – World War 3: Russia Simulated Attack On Denmark, Could Be Preparing European Invasion – 31 October 2014
Australia Deports Refugees Back to Afghanistan and Taliban Persecution
By Max Bartels
Impunity Watch Reporter, Oceania
Canberra, Australia
Australian immigration policy has again, come under scrutiny as they prepare to deport a young Afghan man from Australia back to Afghanistan. The news is concerning to many, in light of the results of past deportations of Afghani refugees back to Afghanistan. In September of 2011 Zainullah Naseri was deported from Australia back to Afghanistan when his refugee application was rejected by Immigration Department. Upon returning to Afghanistan Naseri was reportedly abducted and tortured by the Taliban for two days. He somehow escaped from the Taliban using a rock to break his chains, upon his escape he was picked up by Afghan police, who interrogated him and threatened him by firing shots at his feet. Naseri claims that he was targeted because of his connection to Australia, he now lives in hiding, in fear of contact with both the Taliban and Afghan Police.
Scott Morrison, the Australian Immigration Minister, has ordered an investigation into the kidnapping of Naseri and a broader inquiry into the safety of Afghani- Australian Refugees returning to Afghanistan. Morrison has stated that he has been advised that there are reports suggesting that the kidnapping of Naseri was purely opportunistic and therefore, not related to a a fear of prosecution, which would trigger Australia’s protection obligation. In light of these findings Australia will continue the deportations until the protection obligation is triggered. There is growing concern in Australia of the consequences of deporting these refugees back to Afghanistan and the safety concerns that go along with it. A motion in the Senate proposes calling an immediate moratorium on the deportations.
Now Australia has deported its second Afghani refugee from Australia back to Afghanistan, Australia has not disclosed the name of the individual, he is simply referred to as R. R is from the same province of Afghanistan as Naseri and there is a concern that he will also be at risk of kidnap or even death from the Taliban. Adding to the concerns of R is the deportation charge given to him by the government of Australia. The government is charging him a $25,000 bill or his deportation, $1,000 for his flight and $24,000 for the estimated seven Australian officials who will accompany him on his flight. There are further reports that seven more Afghani-Australian refugees are in custody in Australia and set to be deported back to Afghanistan as well.
For more information, please see:
The Guardian — Afghan Hazara Asylum Seekers to be Forcibly Deported to Afghanistan — 7 October 2014
Burkina Faso Military Uses Gunfire to Clear Protesters from Streets after Takeover
By Kathryn Maureen Ryan
Impunity Watch, managing Editor
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso – The Burkina Faso army cleared thousands of protesters from the streets of Ouagadougou on Sunday and reportedly opened fire at the headquarters of State television, where protesters had overrun the television station, killing at least one person. The use of military force is reportedly an effort by the military to restore order after the resignation of President Blaise Compaoré two days ago in what some are calling a military coup d’état.
President Blaise Compaoré came to power shortly after the murder of President Thomas Sankara, one of Africa’s youngest leaders, in October 1987. Thomas Sankara was sometimes called Africa’s Che Guevara, Sankara was killed along with 12 other officials my members of the armed forces during a coup led by his top associate, Blaise Compaoré. Blaise Compaoré has held fast to power in Burkina Faso for 27 years, a period many say has been marked by fear and reparation, until protests took to the streets to demand an end to his rule last week.
Compaoré’s long rule ended abruptly last Friday after two days of mass protests held in response to his reported bid to change the constitution to extend his rule. The army then selected Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida as transitional leader, overriding an earlier claim by the army chief of staff. After seizing power on Saturday, Zida “I call on the international community, in particular countries that are friends and allies of Burkina Faso, notably in the African Union and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States), to demonstrate their understanding and support our people in this difficult time.”
During an emergency meeting with diplomats in the Burkina Faso capital Ouagadougou earlier on Monday Lieutenant Colonel Isaac Zida vowed that the military would yield power to a transition government. However, the interim leader failed to provide a timeframe for a handover of power.
The African Union has called on Burkina Faso’s military leadership to return power to civilians in the country. The African Union has issued an ultimatum, giving the military two weeks to return the state to civilian rule or face sanctions if they fail to comply.”We ask the armed forces to transfer power to the civil authorities, and the council has determined a period of two weeks for the transfer,” Simeon Oyono Esono, head of the African Union’s Peace and Security Council, said on Monday following a meeting in Ethiopia.”The African Union is convinced that the change has been against democracy. However, we know that popular pressure led to the resignation of the president. Those circumstances were taken by the armed forces to get into power, but it originated from the people,” Esono said.
The United Nations has also expressed concern over the apparent military takeover in Burkina Faso. Mohamed Ibn Chambas, the United Nations envoy for West Africa, issued a warning that if the military refuses to transfer power “the consequences are pretty clear.”
For more information please see:
Al Jazeera – African Union issues Burkina Faso ultimatum – 3 November 2014
The Guardian – Burkina Faso army uses gunfire to clear thousands from streets of capital – 2 November 2014
Al Jazeera – Burkina Faso: Uprising or military coup? – 1 November 2014
Al Jazeera America – Spirit of ‘Africa’s Che Guevara’ found in Burkina Faso uprising – 31 October 2014
Apartheid in Israel? New public transportation ban on Palestinian travelers
By Ashley Repp
News Desk Reporter- Middle East
Bethlehem, Israel/Palestine-
Israel transportation authority announced that beginning this month, Palestinians with work permits will be banned from using the public transportation that settlers use from the West Bank to Israel proper. This announcement received mixed reviews, with many claiming that this move to segregated buses is racist and demonstrative of apartheid.
Israeli authorities reported that the new bus scheme was implemented in order to allay the fears of Israeli settlers, many of whom reported that they do not want to share buses with Palestinians for security reasons. Many rights groups argue that the bus ban is simply an excuse to segregate non-Jews from Jews, and that Israel has been moving in the direction of segregated buses since March 2013, when it introduced a Palestinianonly bus for those traveling on work permits.
Although Israeli authorities initially asserted that they cannot, and would not, prohibit Palestinians with Israeli work permits from riding public buses with Israelis, they did submit that Palestinians would be strongly encouraged to ride the buses designated for their use. Israeli rights groups pushed back against this, and pointed to reports logged by an Israeli group that records checkpoint incidents. In one, soldiers ordered Palestinians off of a bus and told them to walk 2.5 kilometers to the nest checkpoint. When and older man spoke up, a soldier told him that he should take a “private van,” and that the Palestinians are not allowed on that highway and on public transportation.
Many are concerned that the segregated buses will be an opportunity to further reduce contact between Palestinians and Israelis, and is a step towards apartheid. Israel had long avoided serious accusations of apartheid because of the lack of “petty” apartheid, which would include separate cafes, streets, highways, and buses. Those within Israel (not those in the occupied territories), are technically, under Israeli law, allowed to use any and all facilities. Though there are many reports of Arab-Israelis being excluded from particular places, under the letter of the law, such actions are discriminatory. Those in the occupied territories face much heavier restrictions. The establishment of a Palestinian ban on buses in response to security concerns of settlers, is concerning, and suggests that the claim of security concerns, is being used as a catch-all reason to discriminate.
Pursuant to the apartheid argument, in March 2013, Zahava Gal-On, leader of the Meretz party, demanded that the segregated bus line be discontinued immediately, contending that the bus did nothing but demonstrate the incompatibility of democracy and occupation. Now, Israeli Justice Minister, Tzipi Livni, is calling the segregated buses racist and representative of apartheid, and she simply will not stand for it. With tensions already running high in Israel and the occupied territories, the new ban could easily exacerbate the situation.
For more information, please visit:
International Business Times- Palestinians banned from Israeli public transport system in the West Bank– 26 Oct., 2014
RT- ‘This is apartheid!’ Israeli minister blasts bus segregation for Palestinians– 1 Nov., 2014
Voice of America- In Israel, Palestinian bus ban slammed as racist– 30 Oct., 2014
Al Jazeera- Israel launches segregated bus service– 4 Mar., 2013